Metapod uses Tackle! (OU RMT, no Metapod :c)

Hello, you may have seen me around on PS, my name on there is AntiMetapod. You'll usually see me talking about how amazing Metapod is. This is only my second RMT here on Smogon, my first was around 2 years ago, and that was a sun team (I hate myself). So it's been awhile. This team is a stall-oriented team, which is what I like playing the most. I am just getting back into this game with the announcement of X & Y, and am really excited to see what new Pokemon will be brought with it. I played most of my matches during DPP, but did play a bit after BW1. I am getting familiar with the meta again as there are many new threats now in use. Back when I played last, Tyranitar was on nearly every team, and Garchomp and Lati@s were in the Uber tier. Now Politoed is on nearly every team and a plethora of new Rain abusers are roaming about. Enough of my rambling, here is the team:

At a Glance



Team Building


My first choice to start my OU team was Metapod. He uses Harden to boost his already amazing base 55 defense to insane levels. In fact, after just one Harden, his defense skyrockets to a whopping 343 not including the boost from Eviolite, wow! Coupled with an amazing 304 HP, there's no way even sun-boosted choice band Victini can V-Create through this. Well I tried that, and it didn't work out so well. After all, with a shallow movepool of only 7 moves in all, there's not much Metapod can do. If this were to work, I'd definitely run Harden, String Shot, Tackle, and maybe Bug Bite.


====================================================================================================================================================


I noticed that Kyurem-B had insane stats. He boasts the highest unboosted outrage in the game with his whopping base 170 attack stat. Then I also noticed his subpar movepool and lower special attack stat than Kyurem. I decided that I would instead use Kyurem in its normal form. The set worked out fantastically.


Next, I found that Kyurem can get a lot of kills with support from entry hazards, but was also weak to stealth rock. Kyurem also appreciated poison to harm the opponent when stalling, so I added Tentacruel and Skarmory to the group.


I still needed stealth rock as an entry but I also needed something that would play nice with Skarmory, so I added Blissey.


The team was pretty weak to fighting type attacks and certain fire types especially on sun teams, so I needed something that could wall them both. I thought of Latias.


By now I saw that I had no revenge killer. A choice scarf didn't seem to fit on this style of team, so I wanted some powerful priority. I also wanted something that could set up on stall teams and wreak havoc. Scizor fit the bill.



A Closer Look



Blissey @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
- Softboiled
- Stealth Rock

~The best special wall in the game, the main role of Blissey here is to set set up stealth rocks reliably, but she also supports the team by walling nearly every special attacker in the game. The EVs and nature are to maximize bulk. Blissey has been a fairly valuable member of this team. Added toxic because I got destroyed by a Volcarona that used Roost and I hadn't gotten my Toxic Spikes up yet. Took out Aromatherapy (:'c).~


Kyurem @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 52 HP / 220 SAtk / 236 Spd
Modest Nature
- Substitute
- Roost
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power

~This Kyurem set is amazing. Once certain Pokemon are removed from the game, this guy comes in and sets up on many walls, especially bulky waters who struggle to break Kyurems 101 HP substitutes (Politoed, Tentacruel, etc.). The set, when combined with entry hazards is simply amazing. When The opponents Ferrothorn or Forretress have gyro ball, I simply stall it out using substitutes and roost then proceed to sweep. Ice beam and earth power provide solid coverage.~


Latias @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Substitute
- Psyshock

~I cannot quite decide on what to put here. So far Latias has been a phazer and my second late game cleaner, but I am unsure if she is the best fit here. Mostly, I needed a way to stop fighting types from ruining my day, hence psychic. I also noticed that apart from Tentacruel, Sun teams were bound to hurt me a lot, Latias helps with that as well. Thinking about placing the more offensive Latios here. Changed Psychic to Psyshock because fighting types typically have lower defense stats and it also allows me to set up along side and beat some other Calm Minders. Also changed Roar to substitute to avoid status as I lost my Aromatherapy (again, :'c)~


Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spd
Bold Nature
- Rain Dance
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Toxic Spikes

~Tentacruel is very very important on this team. He sets up the toxic spikes for Kyurem and the others and also rapid spins away hazards that hurt my team. He is also the bulky water that you see on most teams. Took out Knock Off and changed to Rain Dish but added Rain Dance to troll teams that use weather.~


Skarmory @ Shed Shell
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spd
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Spikes
- Whirlwind

~Ahh Skarmory. He is the second half to Blissey creating the ever annoying SkarmBliss defensive core. Not much to be said here except that he lays down spikes, whisks away physical sweepers, and occasionally nabs a couple KOs himself. Really strong member of this team.~


Scizor @ Life Orb
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bug Bite
- Bullet Punch
- Pursuit

~I noticed that the team lacked a revenge killer, and a reliable stat-boosting sweeper. This guy covers both of those roles really well. Him along with Latias are important for me to keep around for late game as they both check things that could destroy the rest of my team. Pursuit is used to trap spinners, namely Starmie. Made bulkier and improved power.~

Threat List

Volcarona, if set up, can do some pretty substantial damage to this team, especially if it carries HP Ground. If sun sweepers are allowed to set up, that can also spell doom for this team. Dragonites that carry fire punch and get a dragon dance up with multiscale active can be tough for my team to take down. Often times it involves sacrificing my Skarmory to phaze. Fast fighting types, such as Terrakion and Infernape can also be hard to handle. Infernape can deal a lot of damage with sun boosted flare blitzes. Terrakion does die to Scizor. That being said, I don't think this team has actually lost to a sun team, but I also don't think those teams were all that great :p. Tentacruel can be a problem for this team as well. It absorbs Toxic spikes and spins away my other entry hazards. Latias can typically deal with Tentacruel by using psychic, but that isn't guaranteed. Standard mixed Hydregion can also pose a problem to this team if its moves aren't properly predicted.

This team hasn't necessarily "peaked" at any specific number, all I can say is that I have lost few games at around 1650 rank in OU. Any changes you could suggest would be greatly appreciated.
*I would really like to steer clear of weather, I dislike playing against it and am trying to establish a great team without having to rely on weather support ESPECIALLY from Politoed. I do recognize, however, that a good way to counter weather is with different weather.

Thanks.

Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
- Softboiled
- Stealth Rock

Kyurem @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 52 HP / 220 SAtk / 236 Spd
Modest Nature
- Substitute
- Roost
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power

Latias (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Substitute
- Psyshock

Tentacruel (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spd
Bold Nature
- Rain Dance
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Toxic Spikes

Skarmory (M) @ Shed Shell
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spd
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Spikes
- Whirlwind

Scizor (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bug Bite
- Bullet Punch
- Pursuit
 
Hey, really solid team!

I don't really have some huge changes from the top of my mind as this team is great from the looks of it, I just have some moveset changes that you might want to look into.

Firstly, I suggest changing Psychic for Dragon Pulse on Latias, as I feel like it gives Latias a wider range of targets to hit neutrally. Secondly, I'd reccomend that you solely use Calm Mind, as most of your teammates are not particularly hindered by status.

I also suggest changing Pursuit for Superpower on Scizor, as you can already cover Starmie very well with Blissey and Bug Bite, and in my opinion it will be more useful to hits steel types like Ferrothorn or Heatran harder with this move.

Finally, my last suggestion is that you change Blissey to a Wish-Passing Variant as I feel like it is going to be much more useful that way, especially if you want to have some sweeps with Kyurem or Scizor. It also makes your team survive for longer in general, which is very useful on a semi-stall team.

Overall, great team, if I have time i'll try to test it to see if I can see more flaws!

Dragon Pulse > Psychic
Calm Mind > Refresh
Superpower > Pursuit
Wish Passing Blissey > Cleric Blissey


Blissey @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def; 252 SpDef; 4 HP
Calm Nature
~ Wish
~ Protect
~ Seismic Toss
~ Stealth Rock / Toxic


Hope this helped!
 
Thanks for the rate! I will try your suggestions out. I am still not completely sold on the idea of removing Aromatherapy from Blissey though. It has helped clear my status on Latias who always seems to draw Thunder Waves and Toxics (the reason I was toying with the idea of refresh and just having pure support), and also for any scald burn procs that hurt my team.
 

Electrolyte

Wouldn't Wanna Know
is a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
Hey, cool team!

I'm glad you've decided not to use Metapod, lol. Anyway, this team looks pretty solid, but there are a few minor tweaks you can try to patch up some weaknesses. First off, since you look as if you have some trouble handling Sun teams, I think you can try Rain Dance over Knock Off and Rain Dish over Liquid Ooze on Tentacruel. Although your team isn't a rain team, it can benefit from the effects of Rain. For one, Rain puts Sand and Sun at a disadvantage- giving Latias and Blissey an easier time when handling fire types like Volcarona. Rain Dance+Rain Dish also give Tentacruel 'recovery' options, as it heals Tenta every turn. Rain also neutralizes Skarm's fire weakness, and mitigates Scizor's too. To help wall DragMag teams, I'd suggest you use Shed Shell over Lefties on Skarmory. This lets you escape the clutches of Magnezone, and switch in to wall Dragon types whenever the need comes. On Scizor, I'd run a spread of 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe Adamant, as this gives you a lot more bulk at the expense of little useful speed. It also gives you a considerable amount of more power, which will definitely aid your sweep attempts.

To handle Thundurus more solidly, you can run 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe Timid on Latias; this lets you outspeed Nasty Plot versions and set up along with them to prevent their sweep. Max Speed also lets you outspeed the musketeers and kill them too. However, if you don't think Thundy-T is that big of a threat, you can retain your old spread. At least try Psyshock over Psychic, as it hits most fighting types and Gengar harder.

Cool team! Good luck!
 
Hey, cool team!

I'm glad you've decided not to use Metapod, lol. Anyway, this team looks pretty solid, but there are a few minor tweaks you can try to patch up some weaknesses. First off, since you look as if you have some trouble handling Sun teams, I think you can try Rain Dance over Knock Off and Rain Dish over Liquid Ooze on Tentacruel. Although your team isn't a rain team, it can benefit from the effects of Rain. For one, Rain puts Sand and Sun at a disadvantage- giving Latias and Blissey an easier time when handling fire types like Volcarona. Rain Dance+Rain Dish also give Tentacruel 'recovery' options, as it heals Tenta every turn. Rain also neutralizes Skarm's fire weakness, and mitigates Scizor's too. To help wall DragMag teams, I'd suggest you use Shed Shell over Lefties on Skarmory. This lets you escape the clutches of Magnezone, and switch in to wall Dragon types whenever the need comes. On Scizor, I'd run a spread of 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe Adamant, as this gives you a lot more bulk at the expense of little useful speed. It also gives you a considerable amount of more power, which will definitely aid your sweep attempts.

To handle Thundurus more solidly, you can run 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe Timid on Latias; this lets you outspeed Nasty Plot versions and set up along with them to prevent their sweep. Max Speed also lets you outspeed the musketeers and kill them too. However, if you don't think Thundy-T is that big of a threat, you can retain your old spread. At least try Psyshock over Psychic, as it hits most fighting types and Gengar harder.

Cool team! Good luck!
Interesting. I was looking for a way to create 5 turn weather as often times people merely throw their weather starters away when they see I lack one. I will try that out for sure. The EVs on Latias are mainly just to maximize my ability to wall fighting types such as Conkeldurr, but the increase in speed could help a lot with faster fighting types. Thanks!
 
Thanks for the rate! I will try your suggestions out. I am still not completely sold on the idea of removing Aromatherapy from Blissey though. It has helped clear my status on Latias who always seems to draw Thunder Waves and Toxics (the reason I was toying with the idea of refresh and just having pure support), and also for any scald burn procs that hurt my team.
If you're really worried about the Thunder Waves and Toxic coming in at Latias, just change Roar for Substitute, so that it can block status.
 
If you're really worried about the Thunder Waves and Toxic coming in at Latias, just change Roar for Substitute, so that it can block status.
Yes. I am also thinking of this. That would allow me to set up on Ferro and other walls that would stop a sweep. Even without it though. a Ferrothorn with both Leech Seed and Power Whip couldn't beat me and then I swept his team. His Ferro also had Gyro Ball, but I stalled the PP out on that using Kyurem with its pressure. I will try it. Only problem is I will have to set up along side of CM Jirachi, but Psyshock could help with that. In fact, Substitute might be even better than Roar in that regard.

EDIT: After testing, changes have been made to the OP. Those changes are bolded. Also, bump.
 
Whats up InSiiDiOuS!

Haha, that intro was boss. Rain Dance is only viable on Kingdra and Tornadus-I in my opinion. Trolling weather teams is done better by Anti-Weather Starmie, a underrated threat to Sun, Rain, and Hippo Sand Teams. A simple set having Rapid Spin | Hail | Recover| Insert @ Icy Rock / Leftovers is optional but I'll go with the main weaknesses to the team. Hydreigon is a huge, huge threat to the team. Hydreigon is immune to Latias's psyshock, OHKOs the rest of the team except Blissey who is 2HKOed by Superpower sadly. To fix this problem, I suggest switching Psyshock whick has crapzo coverage to Dragon Pulse. This lets you check Hydreigon by SPAMming subs until its weak enough to attack back. The next thing I would recommend switching Seismic Toss to Ice Beam. Dragon types seem like a problem but instead whirlwinding them away you can OHKO stuff like Salamence and Dragonite after SR while they waste a turn setting-up. This team is pretty solid and is a nice team.

Props for using Kyurem. "When Kyurem-B outshadows Kyurem, watch out as SubRoost fights back" -TheStriker. Subroost is a underrated and deadly threat in our metagame and many people ragequit from it.

Summary
(optional) Starmie @ Leftovers / Icy Rock
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spe / 4 SDef
Nature: Timid
- Hail
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Surf / Hydro Pump

Seismic Toss --> Ice Beam
Psyshock --> Dragon Pulse

Threats: Hydreigon, Volcarona, Salamence, Sun Dragonite
 
Whats up InSiiDiOuS!

Haha, that intro was boss. Rain Dance is only viable on Kingdra and Tornadus-I in my opinion. Trolling weather teams is done better by Anti-Weather Starmie, a underrated threat to Sun, Rain, and Hippo Sand Teams. A simple set having Rapid Spin | Hail | Recover| Insert @ Icy Rock / Leftovers is optional but I'll go with the main weaknesses to the team. Hydreigon is a huge, huge threat to the team. Hydreigon is immune to Latias's psyshock, OHKOs the rest of the team except Blissey who is 2HKOed by Superpower sadly. To fix this problem, I suggest switching Psyshock whick has crapzo coverage to Dragon Pulse. This lets you check Hydreigon by SPAMming subs until its weak enough to attack back. The next thing I would recommend switching Seismic Toss to Ice Beam. Dragon types seem like a problem but instead whirlwinding them away you can OHKO stuff like Salamence and Dragonite after SR while they waste a turn setting-up. This team is pretty solid and is a nice team.

Props for using Kyurem. "When Kyurem-B outshadows Kyurem, watch out as SubRoost fights back" -TheStriker. Subroost is a underrated and deadly threat in our metagame and many people ragequit from it.

Summary
(optional) Starmie @ Leftovers / Icy Rock
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spe / 4 SDef
Nature: Timid
- Hail
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Surf / Hydro Pump

Seismic Toss --> Ice Beam
Psyshock --> Dragon Pulse

Threats: Hydreigon, Volcarona, Salamence, Sun Dragonite
First off, thank you for the rate! I would totally use Starmie if it had Toxic Spikes! It does not, however. Tentacruel supports this team extremely well, it allows Kyurem to subroost stall most of its common checks and then proceed sweeping (and it does that very well). Tentacruel also gains a second leftovers recovery from the rain and it also allows Skarmory to wall some phyiscal fire threats like Infernape (although rare), and eases a switch for Scizor. You are correct about Hydregion, I haven't updated the OP to reflect this yet (I will now). Correct prediction here is key, but not impossible, especially for choice sets. My real worry is how well I will fare against the likes of Terrakion, Keldeo, Conkeldurr and other fighting types. Dragon pulse deals a lot less damage to these threats and does not hurt Gengar as much either. This would aid in a sweep though, even more so if they have a Hydregion on their team.

As for Ice Beam on Blissey...:

0 SpA Blissey Ice Beam vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Dragonite: 216-256 (66.66 - 79.01%) -- 31.25% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

The calculation here doesn't give me a good chance to OHKO DD dragonite, however, if I were to run a Rocky Helmet on Skarmory, I could switch into the predicted outrage and finish off dragonite. This is an option, but it seems a bit gimmicky, especially since if Skarmory gets trapped by Magnezone in dragmag, it's basically gg.

0 SpA Blissey Ice Beam vs. 0 HP / 0- SpD Salamence: 292-344 (88.21 - 103.92%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock

Naive Salamence has a guarenteed OHKO after rocks, however. It also has a small chance to OHKO without Stealth Rocks in play. The dragon dance set isn't as common as it used to be in this current metagame which makes this less viable imo. I feel that Seismic Toss aids me better when I am fighting bulky waters, Volcarona, and a few others. I'll still test it.

Anyway, thanks again for the rate and I'll update the OP if I make any changes!

EDIT: Well, after looking at some calculations, I think Dragon Pulse might be the better choice. Downside is that I will lose out on: A guaranteed OHKO on Gengar (18.75% chance at +1 SpA with rocks up), guaranteed 2HKO on Terrakion (3HKO, 2 with +1), and the ability to demolish Blissey and Sub CM Jirachi. I gain: guaranteed OHKO on Hydreigon (no rocks), better sweeping potential. At +6, Blissey is at best 3HKO'd here with just rocks, but if I manage to have 3 layers of spikes out, and toxic spikes as well, I can 2HKO at +6 with either move. I will test tomorrow.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top